2014-03-21 - Lose? No Kendo, But Thanks for Kamen!
| Title: Lose? No Kendo, But Thanks for Kamen! | |
|---|---|
| Summary: Takeo challenges Mamoru to a kendo match during finals. LITTLE DO THEY KNOW THAT ONE IS SIR LANCELOT AND THE OTHER IS TUXEDO MASK!! Oh ho ho ho :3 | |
| Who: Takeo Akamizu, Mamoru Chiba, Eri Shimanouchi, Asagao Uekawa, Nori Ankou, Tomomi Shizuka | |
| Where: The Kendo dojo at Ohtori! | |
| OOC - IC Date: Finals week. Bad boys. | |
Takeo was... Not in the best of moods. Sister has Cancer. He still has to deal with finals. Ye gods above: Finals, and he still moonlights as the Cavalier Knight: Lancelot. Defender of Justice, and Love and wielder of a really awesome sword.
He also has to listen to a REALLY annoying Rabbit, that was THANKFULLY finally all moved in with Azyana.
He found himself in the Kendo club after school. It had been a little while and some of his friends had welcomed him back and patted him on the back. He frowned at the wall though. On that wall was the listed standings. He had dropped... considerably... in his absence. Where he once was near the top, and sometimes HELD the top spot, now he was near the bottom. "Okay. Number one is Chiba." He says evenly and twirled his Kendo stick. "Time to take down a Chiba." He walked over to the man in question, older, more than likely (Okay DEFINATELY) wiser man than Takeo Akamizu, and stopped near the older man.
"Mamoru Chiba. I challenge you." He grins a roguish grin (somewhere a girl in the kendo club nearly swoons, being the reincarnated Lancelot DOES have some advantages...) "It's nothing personal Chiba Senpai. I just don't like being last."
One of the younger students gasps and runs from the room, calling out: "Akamizu is challenging Chiba!!" It's a pretty big deal. Simply because the two had never battled and are possibly the Club's two best kendo members!
(I-Ohtori) Takeo Akamizu changed his status to: Gonna knock Chiba-Sempai down a peg in Kendo club. Awwwww yeah (Silly Selfie of Take in Sunglasses posing thug life pose in his Kendo Uniform)
(I-Ohtori) Eri Shimanouchi changes status to, 'I've gotta see this.'
So much in common: ~moonlighting~ as a magical soldier in defense of love and justice, having to listen to really annoying Rabbits, and
god
damned
finals!
Chiba, who's looking awfully distracted as he puts his gear on, turns slightly and lifts an eyebrow at Takeo. "Akamizu-san," he greets the underclassman genially, tying off his belt and straightening. He's tall, too, and there's no fire of challenge or defense behind his blue eyes, despite the audacity of the younger student.
And then he rolls his eyes, glancing over his shoulder at the kid who just ran out flapping his jaws and his arms. He turns back to Takeo and grins crookedly. "Challenge accepted."
No taunt, no dismissal, no condescension. He really isn't like most of the upperclassmen in the club. But-- he pauses and squints at his sports bag, because his phone just buzzed and there seem to be more voices approaching the building. Then he squints at Takeo. "Did you just social media your challenge? What if you lose?"
Eri wasn't in the best of moods either, meguca was suffering after all, and her suffering had been immense lately. Finals weren't treating her as well as usual either because she hadn't managed to put in as much study time as she ought to on account of angst.
Club activities are technically canceled and against the rules during finals, it was against the rules! But then again Ohtori's rules were always bent or broken for the glamorous and popular. Takeo's silly selfie had made her smile, and for some reason the prospect of him beating up Mamoru Chiba with a wooden stick, *ahem* Bokken, appealed to her. And so she found herself in the Kendo dojo. She doesn't make herself known to either, because the tension of a Kendo match was thick enough to cut with a knife, she didn't want to distract either unless they looked her way..
Which she wouldn't mind, since both of them were handsome in a way that made her blush self-consciously.
Takeo Akamizu quickly tucks his phone away in a pocket on his uniform. "I ... may have social media'd the challenge..." He says as he clears his throat and rubs the back of his neck. He shrugs a shoulder at the question of him loosing though. "I'm trying a new thing. Ya know, over confidence. We'll see how that plays out." He grins again with that same roguish grin.
The same girl swoons once more.
He clears his throat and moves over to the mat, twirling the Kendo stick. Moonlighting as a Knight gives me plenty of PRACTICAL sword practice. Chiba doesn't stand a chance. He's not a Knight. He's /just/ an upper classman. As Chiba accepts and Takeo looks the man over he does however barely suppress a gulp. He may JUST be an upper classman, but he's a really GOOD Kendo student. "You ready for this Chiba-Sempai?" He takes up his palce and bows formally as he adopts a ready stance. Low, with the sword held loosely and to the side. "You are my Senpai. The first move is yours."
As students from all over Ohtori begin to trickle in - perhaps preceding some sort of flood - Asagao couldn't help but float in with the early-comers. The shouting in the halls, the flapping of arms?
She's amazed people aren't chanting 'FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!' yet.
Study time can wait, though Asagao has brought some kind of finger-weaving with her to do while she watches. And oh, does she watch. Pretty boy fight? YES, PLEASE.
Tiny, tiny little sigh. Of course he social media'd it. Mamoru just takes the first weapon in the rack and walks over to the mat, no flourishes, no swagger.
All these people are looking. Maybe he should throw the match.
No-- no. This is kendo.
Taking his position opposite Takeo, he bows in mirror image, trying to crowd out the sounds of the gathering student body. Guy seems awfully centered. "Okay," he says, and moves like a striking snake to try and immediately put Takeo offbalance.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has used The Hand Is Quicker Than Pie: Kendo on Takeo Akamizu.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu fails to brace Mamoru Chiba's The Hand Is Quicker Than Pie: Kendo, taking 20 Fatigue damage!
Eri's eyes might have been something like this. O_O She thought that Mamoru would certainly be one of those, sit there acting all cool in a high guard, daring your opponent to come at you types. That was far more aggressive than she expected, and she winced at the ferocity of the strike.
Now she had to say something, as she cupped her hands around her mouth, calling out, "Do your best Takeo-kun!"
The Bokken comes in faster than the lightning that Takeo NORMALLY wields when using Arondight. He tries to get his own Bokken up to block the attack, the Roguish smile gone now and replaced by fierce determination as Mamoru's strike comes sailing in...
And under his Guard.
A THWACK is heard and Takeo stumbles back before he rebraces himself, Oh Crap. He IS good he thinks before he launches forward. His weapon raised and prepared for a high to low downward cut, but he suddenly spins to the left, pulling his blade back to his chest and then thrusting outward in a fierce and wicked stab.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has used Thrusting Stabbity Stab on Mamoru Chiba.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba fails to counter Takeo Akamizu's Thrusting Stabbity Stab, taking 12 Fatigue damage!
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba's counterattack, I See What You're Doing: Kendo, fails to get through, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Takeo Akamizu!
Mamoru is actually kind of an icy terror, and the swift ferocity of his opening strike quickly gets Asagao's attention. He *is* on the defending end of the challenge, and he's the only one she even sort of knows as more than just one of those faces at the school.
And some other girl is cheering the challenger? Well, that's hardly fair!
"You've GOT this, Chiba-san!" Asagao calls, her hands full of tied multicolored loops.
This is an exercise in concentration: a fight, certainly, but a normal one. Wits and skill and strength, with nothing borrowed from his birthright, and nothing but--
--a voice he knows calling his name. Takeo get in under Mamoru's guard, and the older boy's not quite attentive enough to throw the attack back. He refocuses, circling, face blank.
The next strike he attempts is one that reflects that focus, and while the footwork is fast, the actual movement of the bokken is slow and strong.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has used Steamroller of Determined Justice: Kendo on Takeo Akamizu.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has finished attacking.
Eri considers it hardly fair that she got sent on a snipe hunt by Mamoru. Even if it was a snipe hunt for a different motivation than she believes~
Also come on, Takeo was Lancelot in past life, and while Knights weren't quite as cool as Samurai in her opinion, he was a legendary Knight! That's gotta count for something on the adolescent girl hotness scale, right?
Now that she sees her other classmate cheering Mamoru, she continues with renewed fervor, "Sugoiii! Keep at it Takeo-kun!"
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu narrowly counters Mamoru Chiba's Steamroller of Determined Justice: Kendo, taking 23 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit!
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu's counterattack, Quick Cut, fails to get through, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Mamoru Chiba!
Another fast move by Chiba, and Takeo twirls attempting to counter the incoming attack. However he's still just a touch too slow and the hit knocks him back. He winces, cheered on by Eri, and he moves forward spinning the blade once again.
The younger Kendo student spins on in and lashes quickly at Mamoru. The bokken whistling as it moves in. He lands with a slight grin. This was good! It had been a really long time since he had been challenged in Kendo, and Mamoru was certainly proving to be a challenge. He might loose, but he was okay with that. It was the challenge he craved, and he had it!
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has used Spinning Slash on Mamoru Chiba.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba fails to counter Takeo Akamizu's Spinning Slash, taking 12 Fatigue damage! Stagger applied to Mamoru Chiba!
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba's counterattack, The Ebony Blade Says Hello!: Kendo, fails to get through, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Takeo Akamizu!
They seem pretty evenly matched - but where Takeo seems to do well under all the cheering, Asagao winces when her cheering *distracts* Mamoru!
So she cheers him with her mind and heart instead, weaving idly with her hands to give herself something to do, but doesn't shout again. Well, not yet anyway.
Oh Mamoru tries to push past that, but the angle's all wrong and his blade's shoved aside like it's a lollipop stick. Here's where Takeo will have the gratification of seeing the older student's eyes widen briefly as he's taken offbalance. He doesn't-- he doesn't look appreciably more tired, but he does look more distracted. They are quite evenly matched.
They're evenly matched, and a hint of something else is showing behind the formerly-composed upperclassman's face: the challenge is finally sinking in, and he looks like he's gearing up to do something absurd.
That's because he is.
All of a sudden, the affably distant Chiba takes three quick steps back and then pounds two forward, leaping up in the air--
--and somersaults overhead--
--and uncurls mid-leap to whip his bokken backwards at Takeo from above and behind.
If it works, it'll be legend!
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has used Who Twists That Way??: Kendo on Takeo Akamizu.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu narrowly dodges Mamoru Chiba's Who Twists That Way??: Kendo, taking 5 Fatigue damage!
Eri Shimanouchi's mouth hangs open as Mamoru acts like some sort of period piece Samurai action star in a kendo match.
There was nothing she could say in the wake of that. He did that without any sort of Magical Powers.. at least she's pretty sure about that!
Having just enough time to register that Mamoru is /airborne/ and is in fact NOT an US Army Ranger, Takeo ducks and rolls quickly tot he side, the Bokken just barely nicking his shoulder as he rolls. He springs up and blinks, He's left himself open and then leaps at the chance.
A loud "KI-YAAAA!" Is exclaimed as he hammers in with a leap of his own. Nowhere near as acrobatic as Mamoru (He can only do THAT when he's transformed, or doing Par Kour. Neither of which is happening at the moment...) but he does get some considerable distance in his leap, and considerable power behind the fast blow as well. It comes from left to right, a vertical slash with both hands designed to just charge into Mamoru and take the older student on the defensive.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has used Cross Slash on Mamoru Chiba.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba fails to dodge Takeo Akamizu's Cross Slash, taking 16 Fatigue damage!
Though Mamoru lands on his feet, he lands on his feet facing the wrong way, and he doesn't spin fast enough to get out of the way of the freight train coming toward him. He takes a slightly unsteady step backwards, but now he's grinning lopsidedly, and says the first thing he's said since 'okay': "Your fans will be very disappointed when you lose, Akamizu-san."
He's most certainly on the defensive now, but he seems to be enjoying it far more than he did the offense; he whirls the bokken around like it's a baton. "Come on, hit me again. I dare you."
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has used Oh Really?: Kendo on Takeo Akamizu.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu narrowly braces Mamoru Chiba's Oh Really?: Kendo, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Takeo Akamizu is Quipped!
Professor Shizuka is passing by between one of her numerous meetings ("after all, if classes aren't regularly meeting, you clearly have time to sit and talk about curriculum development for four hours!") when she sees a crowd of unusual vigor nearby the dojo. Adjusting the ride of her purse, Tomomi walks into the midst of the squealing girls. They part around her like lesser fish around a shark, allowing her to get a view of the hot bishonen action.
Taunting?! Takeo gives that Roguish grin of his and spins that bokken of his in a taunting manner all of his own.
Another girl watching Swoons. The first one that Swooned looks at her and says, "I did it first."
He moves in quick again and slashes again high and fast. The Bokken whistling as it closes in fast and wicked. He circles Mamoru and smiles slightly, "Gett'n worried Senpai? You don't usually taunt."
Eri had seen Lancelot electrocute a witch to death. So, she was actually glanced towards Mamoru, as if to offer him a wry look. It wasn't magical combat, but she didn't doubt Takeo's skills in hot bishy Kendo. She wanted to submit that for approval as an Olympic sport.
Professor Shizuka comes, and like the many other girls.. she parts to let her on by. Initially she was worried that she might try to stop the match but.. Shizuka-sensei was kind of permissive when it came to certain things so she eventually just went back to her cheers, "He's just trying to psych you out Takeo-kun! You've got this!"
She doesn't involve herself in the swooning contest, just giving those girls an annoyed look.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has used High Cut on Mamoru Chiba.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba fails to dodge Takeo Akamizu's High Cut, taking 8 Fatigue damage! Exhausted applied to Mamoru Chiba!
Asagao, hands full of nylon-band-weaving, also falls silent and parts for Professor Shizuka. There's a quiet, deferential mutter of 'Sensei' as she passes... then ooooh!
"Don't take it lying down, Chiba-San! You can still turn this around!"
Professor Shizuka seems to be entirely fine with students fighting each other in single combat. She gets much more bent out of shape over texting in class.
Go figure.
Nori Ankou drifted past the kendo dojo as she returned from the direction of one of the dining halls, looking vaguely dazed as she often does, thanks to her Ailment. She has a nice fluffy parka on, which is, of course, perfectly sized to conceal an otter-sized object. She has a takeaway lunchbox in one hand, half open; her coat periodically eats a shrimp.
"Oh!" she says, seeing an upraised stick: "Kendo?"
She asks someone directly in front of her (Asagao, by improbable chance), "Who is competing?"
[OOC] Mamoru Chiba says, "Takeo is running out of time."
[OOC] Mamoru Chiba says, "We're gonna roll roll roll roll and then montage."
[OOC] Takeo Akamizu says, "You have all been warned :P"
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has used Backhanded Compliment on Takeo Akamizu.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu narrowly dodges Mamoru Chiba's Backhanded Compliment, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Takeo Akamizu is Quipped!
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has used Rapid Slashings on Mamoru Chiba.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba fails to dodge Takeo Akamizu's Rapid Slashings, taking 8 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit!
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has used This Would Work Better in a Mask But It's Still a Pointy Stick Joke on Takeo Akamizu.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu fails to brace Mamoru Chiba's This Would Work Better in a Mask But It's Still a Pointy Stick Joke, taking 25 Fatigue damage!
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has used Leg Strike on Mamoru Chiba.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba narrowly braces Takeo Akamizu's Leg Strike, taking 8 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Tangle applied to Mamoru Chiba!
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has used You're Kind of a Pain: Kendo on Takeo Akamizu.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu narrowly dodges Mamoru Chiba's You're Kind of a Pain: Kendo, taking 4 Fatigue damage!
"Mamoru Chiba-san and..." What was it that she heard Eri yell? "Takeo-san," Asagao says back over her shoulder to Nori, at little uncertainly because she doesn't actually KNOW Takeo to be so familiar-sounding with him.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has used Cross Slash on Mamoru Chiba.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba fails to brace Takeo Akamizu's Cross Slash, taking 15 Fatigue damage!
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has used I Hit With Sticks Sometimes: Kendo on Takeo Akamizu.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu fails to dodge Mamoru Chiba's I Hit With Sticks Sometimes: Kendo, taking 7 Fatigue damage!
"They're really going at it," Nori says, wistfully.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has used Rapid Slashings on Mamoru Chiba.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba narrowly dodges Takeo Akamizu's Rapid Slashings, taking 4 Fatigue damage! Mamoru Chiba's Flash ability activates!
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has used Eri's Still Mad At Me And This Won't Help on Takeo Akamizu.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu fails to dodge Mamoru Chiba's Eri's Still Mad At Me And This Won't Help, taking 6 Fatigue damage!
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has used KI-YA!! on Mamoru Chiba.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba narrowly braces Takeo Akamizu's KI-YA!!, taking 3 Fatigue damage!
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has used Ignoble Trolling Doink on Takeo Akamizu.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu fails to dodge Mamoru Chiba's Ignoble Trolling Doink, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Takeo Akamizu is Quipped!
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has used Quick Cut on Mamoru Chiba.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba fails to dodge Takeo Akamizu's Quick Cut, taking 8 Fatigue damage!
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has used You Hit Me Like This: Kendo Trolling on Takeo Akamizu.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu fails to dodge Mamoru Chiba's You Hit Me Like This: Kendo Trolling, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Takeo Akamizu is Quipped!
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has used Spinning Slash on Mamoru Chiba.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba narrowly dodges Takeo Akamizu's Spinning Slash, taking 6 Fatigue damage! Mamoru Chiba's Flash ability activates! Stagger applied to Mamoru Chiba!
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has used The Pointy End: Kendo on Takeo Akamizu.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu narrowly dodges Mamoru Chiba's The Pointy End: Kendo, taking 7 Fatigue damage!
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has used Rapid Slashings on Mamoru Chiba.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba narrowly braces Takeo Akamizu's Rapid Slashings, taking 3 Fatigue damage!
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has used Just Lucky I Guess on Takeo Akamizu.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu fails to dodge Mamoru Chiba's Just Lucky I Guess, taking 7 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Takeo Akamizu is unable to keep fighting!
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has used You Are Really Really Really Impossibly Good on Takeo Akamizu.
COMBAT: Mamoru Chiba has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu accepts Mamoru Chiba's You Are Really Really Really Impossibly Good, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Takeo Akamizu is unable to keep fighting! Takeo Akamizu is Cheered!
The fight, instead of grinding on, actually gets quicker and more furious as it goes on: it's impossible to tell who's in the lead, though Mamoru has a distinct tendency to fall back every once in a while and say something clearly designed to cheese Takeo off-- nevertheless, the two of them only get more and more into it, and the clacking of the wooden bokken develops a rhythm of its own, underscoring the cheering and the gasps of the crowd.
It's like there's a spotlight on the two young men, who seem to have endless stamina; at one point, Takeo trips Mamoru and tangles the older boy's legs in bokken and clothing, but the upperclassman rolls closer and jabs upward with his wooden blade, getting Takeo in the gut. A half second later, Takeo scores Mamoru's face; there's a wild scrambling rush and Mamoru stabs again, by now on his feet despite his mobility issues -- he really prefers to fight in a tuxedo -- which Takeo takes at a spin and turns into a desperate slash.
They're both scuffed, they're both shining, they're both grinning like maniacs, and they're both unsteady from exhaustion. In the end, it's too quick to see:
Takeo's on the floor on his back, and Mamoru's holding his bokken to the underclassman's throat. He huffs, then falls to one knee, laughing as he tries to catch his breath.
"God," he pants, reaching out to grab the other combatant's hand and haul him up, "damn. You're-- really, really good. Really really. Impossibly good. We should do this again."
As Mamoru helps him up, even as the two of them have a second to breathe, they both already look rather less beat-down.
There's a fair amount of quiet -- inaudible in the midst of the crowd -- back and forth, but both young men are still in remarkably good spirits as Takeo heads toward the showers, and Mamo lightly punches him in the arm. Then the upperclassman calls out, "Show's over! Go forth and blog!"
Professor Shizuka may or may not put this on Tumblr. She watches the increasingly physical fight with interest, intermittently moistening her lips as one of the young men shows particular physical mastery. She picks out a scent in the air that momentarily distracts her, closing her eyes and breathing in. She feels... something, but it passes. For now. It is a matter to pursue later. Too many possible witnesses right now.
Professor Shizuka doesn't immediately break off, letting the other girls disperse as they will. She looks over both men with the dispassionate eye of a veteran teacher. She will remember their faces. When she is satisfied with that, she turns to walk away, off to her next meeting.
Once the match ended and the crowd drifted back to their corners, the 'combatants' recharging - it IS finals week, after all - Asagao... very suddenly realizes who was speaking behind her without her paying any attention.
Suddenly.
Rather.
Nervous.
"Shizuka-sensei," Asagao just barely keeps herself from squeaking it, though it is on the quiet side.
Professor Shizuka speaks without having to say anything at all. She slows when she hears a student address her, turning slightly to look back at Asagao. She tilts her head up in acknowledgment. "Miss Uekawa," she says. "This was an exciting encounter. I am glad you had the opportunity to watch it. Did you learn anything?"
"Uh?" Nori Ankou says, having been a bit wistful. She straightens up with some force when she realizes the art teacher is present, looking up at her with wide eyes. She swallows to herself, dreading inwardly her own portfolio turn-in.
She has little to worry about; Batiste touched up a couple of pieces. Hardest working man in show business.
She closes the lid of her takeaway container even so, taking a small step away from Uekawa - just in case, and with an apologetic look.
ABANDONER NORI! Asagao, hands full of finger-weaving, suddenly tugs at it in nervousness. "Yes, Sensei, I learned that a challenger has to be very good to back up his challenge with confidence and skill. But the challenged has been challenged for good reason, and has his own strengths to bear and responsibilities to perform."
The balance of power is a delicate thing.
Though her cheeks are burning and her words were quick, Asagao surprisingly doesn't flee on the spot.
Having disappeared in the press of scattering 'oh shit teacher present' students to take his own shower, Mamoru Chiba comes back out, back in uniform, hair damp, still grinning. Having spotted Nori and Asagao -- and the aforementioned teacher -- he wanders up with his hands in his pockets, cheerfully unconcerned. And he's just in time to hear Asagao's comment. "What good reason?" he asks mildly.
Tomomi seems almost poised to let Asagao go. She was almost about to nod and let her go on her way -- and then Mamoru asks Asagao a follow-up question.
Tomomi smiles kindly at Asagao. Now you're going to answer it, kid.
Nori isn't going to leap in the way of art teacher questions. That is a game for suckers. She learned that on the mean* streets of Sapporo.
(*- not mean)
She gives Asagao a weak smile, perhaps of encouragement. Her eyes track Chiba as he comes in, though, and kicks things most decidedly further along.
In her mind, Asagao learns several new Kabuki moves. All at once. All that's visible is a hashmark on her forehead though. And OH THE LOOK she gives him.
CURSE YOU, MAMORU CHIBA! YOU ARE A TERRIBLE PERSON! YOU INVENT NEW WAYS OF BEING TERRIBLE!
What comes out of her mouth, mercifully, is much more tactful. "Reputation. You're one of the star members of the Kendo Club, aren't you? Of course the members with something to prove will want to challenge you, to stake their reputation against yours."
One corner of Mamoru's mouth turns up, and he rocks on his heels. Quick recovery, apparently. "Pride is certainly /a/ reason to challenge," he grants. "But I wouldn't call it a good one. Still, though--" and here he just breaks out in a grin again, very nearly radiant, "that was awesome. He's really, really good. I'll probably lose next time. Thanks for cheering me on!"
One hand out of pocket, very light puuush against Asagao's shoulder, and Mamoru's eyes are sparkling. "Got stuff to do. See you around!" With respective nods to Nori and Eri, and a slightly deeper bow to Tomomi, he heads over to pick up his gym bag and saunter out the door.
Whistling.
Tomomi is willing to listen as the students hash the answer out among themselves. She smiles politely at Mamoru before returning her attention to Asagao. "I think you learned an important thing today, Miss Uekawa. Thank you for your time. I won't keep you from your studies any longer."
"He /talked/ to you, Uekawa, gosh-- I wish..." Nori begins to say - before trailing off with a chest-heaving sigh.
"I wish I'd gotten here early for the match, though... How did you all know to come?" she asks the other girl, instead.
"Thank you, Sensei," Asagao gives the teacher a slight bow, then moves aside quickly, oh man Nori! Nori gets to see the visible exhalation cloud and quick change in posture from 'I must not make myself more of a target than I am!' to 'Ohthankgodit'sover.'
Wait, how did she know? "You must have been a long way off, Ankou, a kid came running out of here squawking and flapping his arms so hard I imagine he's probably half-way to mainland China by now!"
Somehow, the Middle School Council isn't *quite* as pants-wettingly terrifying as the High School Council.
